Today's broadband access to networks, such as the Internet and its subset, the World Wide Web, enables fast download and storage of content files to personal computer systems.
Typically, customers access a server, for example a content provider, select a set of content files residing on the server, possibly provide payment for the download of content files, and download the content files for local consumption. However, in this embodiment, since the content provider stores all the content files, access to the content may be slow due to network congestion or other reasons.
Alternatively, customers may download a number of content files from the server and may select from the previously downloaded content files, which are encrypted or locked using one of a number of available encryption techniques. After providing payment to the content provider, customers receive a decryption tool, for example a key for decrypting the content within the content files. This embodiment provides faster access to content, because the content is already downloaded at the customers' end. However, capacity issues, such as storage and bandwidth, may prevent content providers from using the pre-download technique, even if customers would make storage capacity available for download.
An alternate solution to the pre-download approach involves the distribution of content over a wide variety of private servers. Customers can access any one of the private servers and download the respective content files stored on the private server. However, this model cannot guarantee a revenue stream for the original content provider and cannot properly protect the copyright of the downloaded content files.